Spatial audio signals are being used in greater frequency to produce a more immersive audio experience. A stereo or multi-channel recording can be passed from the recording or capture apparatus to a listening apparatus and replayed using a suitable multi-channel output such as a multi-channel loudspeaker arrangement and with virtual surround processing a pair of stereo headphones or headset.
It would be understood that in the near future it will be possible for mobile apparatus such as mobile phone to have more than two microphones. This offers the possibility to record real multichannel audio. With advanced signal processing it is further possible to beamform or directionally amplify or process the audio signal from the microphones from a specific or desired direction.
Furthermore certain video file formats such as MP4 allow for the MP4 container to comprise multiple audio signal tracks and video encoded signals. Thus it is possible to record multiple surround sound tracks with different beams (or multiple stereo tracks) and with different settings or capture object-based audio signals.